The present invention pertains to a steel coil railroad car for the transport of steel coils. In particular, the invention pertains to such a steel coil railroad car which includes a cover that forms a seal (or contaminant barrier) between the coil cover and the car.
Large coils of steel are typically shipped from the steel mill to factories and steel fabricators by rail in specially-designed steel coil railroad cars. These steel coil railroad cars are of a design so as to facilitate the loading, unloading and transport of the steel coils. The objective of such a design is to minimize the potential for damage to the steel coils.
The steel coils may comprise many different types of steel. The steel coils may also range in size from 0.030 inches thick to one inch thick and in a width from four feet to seven feet. These steel coils may weight up to 20,000 pounds apiece.
The steel may be used in metal stamping, roll forming and metal fabrication of items ranging from automobiles to laboratory equipment. It is important that during the transport to the fabricator the metal (e.g., steel) be kept free from contamination due to water and/or dirt. It is especially important that the steel be kept free from rust since the steel must be able to be transported directly from the railroad car to the factory in a condition ready for fabrication. If a steel coil contains contamination (e.g., rust), the fabricator typically rejects the coil so that the steel coil must be returned to the steel mill at the expense of the carrier and/or the steel mill.
Heretofore, each steel coil railroad car has used either one coil cover to fit over the entire length of the railroad car or a pair of smaller coil covers to accommodate the length of the railroad car. Each coil cover has a U-shaped channel at its bottom edge (or lip). When the coil cover is placed on the railroad car, the U-channel fits over a square bar on the top edge of the upstanding walls of the railroad car so that the coil cover is correctly aligned and positioned on the railroad car. When the coil cover rests squarely upon the top edge a seal (or barrier) exists which protects the contents of the railroad car from contamination from the outside environment (e.g., water and/or dirt). There are, however, some problems that exist with the present coil covers.
The steel coil railroad car is made with an upward camber in the middle thereof which causes the center of the railroad car to rise higher (e.g., one-half inch) than the opposite ends thereof when the car is partially filled or empty. The presence of this camber negatively affects the existence of a seal between the coil cover and the railroad car when partially loaded or empty. In addition, fabrication tolerances can negatively impact upon the existence of an effective seal between the coil cover and the railroad car. Furthermore, metal warpage and abuse of the railroad car and the coil cover can result in the absence of an effective seal between the coil cover and the railroad car.
It can thus be appreciated that it would be advantageous to provide a steel coil railroad car that provides for the effective protection of the steel coils from contamination by water and/or dirt during transport in outside conditions which range between cold icy weather to hot steamy weather.
It would also be desirable to provide for a steel coil railroad car that provides for the effective protection of the steel coils from contamination by water and/or dirt during transport even after the railroad car, as well as the coil cover, have been subject to abuse and significant wear and metal warpage.
It would also be desirable to provide for a steel coil railroad car that provides for the effective protection of the steel coils from contamination by water and/or dirt during transport even if the railroad car is not fully loaded or empty.
In one form thereof, the invention is a gasket for a steel coil railroad car wherein the gasket is contained within a U-shaped channel in the coil cover. The gasket includes a base which has a mediate section which joins opposite flanges and a bulbous portion which defines a volume. The bulbous portion has a mediate flat section that joins opposite arcuate sections. The mediate section of the base is thicker than the arcuate sections and the flat section of the bulbous portion. The gasket is retained in the U-shaped channel in such a fashion that the base contacts the mediate portion of the U-shaped channel. The gasket is compressible upon the engagement of the gasket with the railroad car so as to form a seal between the coil cover and the railroad car.
In another form thereof, the invention is a coil cover for a steel coil railroad car. The coil car comprises a cover body which has a bottom edge, and a U-channel at the bottom edge of the cover body. The coil cover further includes a gasket which comprises a base which has a mediate section which joins opposite flanges, and a bulbous portion which defines a volume. The bulbous portion has a mediate flat section that joins opposite arcuate sections. The mediate section of the base is thicker than the arcuate sections and the flat section of the bulbous portion. The gasket is retained in the U-shaped channel in such a fashion that the base contacts the mediate portion of the U-shaped channel. The gasket is compressible upon the engagement of the gasket with the railroad car so as to form a seal between the coil cover and the railroad car.
In still another form thereof, the invention is a steel coil railroad car which comprises a container portion having upstanding walls wherein the walls terminate in a top edge. The car also includes a coil cover. The coil car comprises a cover body which has a bottom edge, and a U-channel at the bottom edge of the cover body. The coil cover further includes a gasket which comprises a base which has a mediate section which joins opposite flanges, and a bulbous portion which defines a volume. The bulbous portion has a mediate flat section that joins opposite arcuate sections. The mediate section of the base is thicker than the arcuate sections and the flat section of the bulbous portion. The gasket is retained in the U-shaped channel in such a fashion that the base contacts the mediate portion of the U-shaped channel. The gasket is compressible upon the engagement of the gasket with the railroad car so as to form a seal between the coil cover and the railroad car.